A record number of councils asked the government for exceptional financial support for 2025-26, and 30 requests have been approved – but CIPFA has expressed serious worries about the system.
The Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead has warned that a Section 114 notice is “almost inevitable” as it prepares residents for a council tax hike of up to a quarter.
Growing pressure means nearly half of England’s upper-tier councils will struggle to balance their budgets within two years and are likely to need government support, a survey of chief executives has...
Slow progress in compensating employees for discriminatory pay has prompted GMB members at Birmingham City Council to “overwhelmingly” vote for industrial action.
Councillors have reluctantly agreed to approve Nottingham City Council’s 2024-25 budget despite concerns over a lack of local power over decision-making.
Senior councillors have refused to recommend more than £20m of cuts at Nottingham City Council, potentially escalating a dispute with the government over funding and local decision-making.
Birmingham City Council has delayed its meeting to approve spending plans as it waits for a government decision it said is key to setting a balanced budget for 2024-25.
Middlesbrough Council has become the latest authority to request additional government support to balance its 2024-25 budget and avoid a Section 114 notice.
A county council will issue a Section 114 notice unless the government grants its requests for extra flexibility, officers have warned as they work on the authority’s upcoming budget.
Mitigating a £120m “structural funding gap” at Bradford Council will be impossible without cuts, redundancies and exceptional financial support from the government, its finance chief has warned.
Rising children’s care costs have contributed to a forecast £73m overspend this year and £104m funding gap next year, both of which Bradford Council said it will be unable to meet without exceptional...
A widening budget gap at Slough Borough Council means it must make “significant reductions” to avoid exceeding its exceptional government support this year, its finance director has warned.
The financial fallout from an equal pay dispute and the botched implementation of an IT system will lead Birmingham City Council to ask the government for permission to hike council tax above the...
Continued strong progress on reforms aimed at delivering financial stability and improving governance could see the improvement panel at the London Borough of Croydon exit within two years.
Concerns over the speed of fixing a faltering IT system and potentially discriminatory pay structure have prompted external auditors for Birmingham City Council to issue statutory recommendations.
The government wants to step up its intervention in the London Borough of Croydon because, despite the council's hard work, it is continuing to not meet its best value duty.
“Significantly” more victims of historical child abuse have come forward in a London borough than expected, forcing the council to request additional financing flexibilities from the government to...
Concerns over a “completely unsustainable” financial position have forced the London Borough of Croydon to request additional government support, including the write-off of more than £500m of debt.
